Apart from a few Lakme ads an the Lux ads, that is almost mandatory for any Bollywood actress of note to feature in, I haven’t seen the enigmatic Rekha in many other advertisements. Though I am quite sure, that given her popularity she would’ve appeared in a atleast a few more.

At her peak in the late 1970s and the early 1980s, Rekha was the face of Lakme, then a Tata company, and this print ad by daCunha is from 1979.

Rekha in a 1979 Lakme advertisement

What’s shooting?
Rekha in Lakmé

Lakmé
Sating Glow Liquid Make-Up.
Ultra-Silk Face Powder and Compacts.

Rekha used only imported make-up. The best. Then we gave her Lakmé. ‘Too much!,’ she said. She couldn’t tell the difference. Nor will you. Look, that’s Rekha with a Lakmé face. Find out what Rekha discovered. Find yourself a Lakmé face.

The beauty maker.
Lakmé.

I was reminded of this particular Lakme ad by a sultry Rekha (from Utsav (1984)) the cover of Bollywood: A History by Mihir Bose. Bought the book this Sunday from the Daryaganj Sunday Book Market. Though some reviews don’t speak very highly of the book, I don’t mind reading as long as it gives me additional insights to the cinema that is close to my heart.